


The One That's The One

by theworldwasokayagain



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Connor (Detroit: Become Human) Is a Brat, Connor (Detroit: Become Human) is Bad at Feelings, Gen, Hank Anderson is Bad at Feelings, M/M, Minor Markus/Simon (Detroit: Become Human), Mutual Pining, Other, Slow Burn, Soulmates, basically it's a mess
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-18
Updated: 2020-05-18
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:55:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23201308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theworldwasokayagain/pseuds/theworldwasokayagain
Summary: "Hello?" Connor managed to pipe out a (confused) greeting."Hello?" The man replied in an even puzzled growl, "Can I help you?""My name is Connor." He said, unsure whether he should even continue speaking to the obviously temperamental old man in front of him... who just glared at his introduction. "I'm your One That's The One, sent by CyberLife."
Relationships: Hank Anderson & Connor, Hank Anderson/Connor
Comments: 7
Kudos: 35





	1. Getting Used To It

**Author's Note:**

> Heavily based on YouTube Premium's Weird City Episode One. I highly encourage you to watch it before reading this because that thing is hilarious and wholesome. It's a masterpiece.
> 
> https://youtu.be/fMnq5v8yZp4
> 
> Also, English isn't my first language so if it's wonky, I apologize. Please tell me if the chapter is too short! Any advices at all would help!

In a not so distant future, in a city not unlike your own, society has divided itself in two.

The Deviants above The Line,  
the Souls, below.

The Deviants consisted of citizens liberated by technology and advanced living, while the ones who chose the old, traditional way of living became the Souls.

Connor grew up below The Line, but once his mother remarried to a Deviant man, he needed to adjust to living above The Line. Which is why...

"Markus!" Connor called out once he spotted his friend in the smorgasbord of digital displays roaming around his eyesight. He rummaged past the crowd, out of breath. "I'm sorry, I'm late. Again."

"At least you showed up this time." A warm banter from Markus, who sat beside a blonde man with the warmest grin Connor had ever seen. "Connor, Simon. Simon, Connor."

One look and Connor knew, Simon's smile was the perfect match for Markus' furrowed eyebrows.

"Finally, I meet The Man of The Man." Connor shook Simon's hand firmly as he settled on his seat. "I really wished I was there on your wedding. Witnessing it in a reconstruction isn't the same. It was the biggest wedding in ages and I can't believe I missed it."

"Don't worry about it. Your work can get pretty demanding." Simon offered his sympathies, "And you're still getting used to everything up here."

"Correct." Connor sighed, "Markus' inventions really changed everything... A few years ago he was just my laidback college dorm mate, now he's the leader of The Deviants. The founder of Jericho."

Markus' face wrinkled at the title, "But I'm still Markus after all that, so..." In one wave of his hand, a hologram list of drinks hovered in front of them, "Get a drink and don't mention the responsibility I'm currently forgetting."

The three of them chuckled.

After a few seconds of staring through the list, Connor swiped away the viewfinder with a sigh. "On second thought, I think I'm good. Drinking as an act itself reminds me so much of my last disaster date. The girl drank too much and I had to take care of the puking she did at the bar."

Markus stiffled his laughter while Simon tilted his head.

"Date? You're still dating?" Simon asked, but took it back right away, "Oh I forgot, you grew up below The Line."

Connor nodded solemnly, "When you grow up below The Line, you have to date. If Markus hasn't told you yet, I got here because my mother was the soulmate of a Deviant man, and he found her when I was going into college." He paused briefly before continuing, "I always wished they found each other earlier, would've saved my mother from heartbreaks."

"It must've been hard." Simon muttered. "Meeting a new parent and moving to a different place, a different society."

Connor nodded, "Though I understand that some things must simply... happen, you know? Besides, if my mother didn't meet my father, I wouldn't be alive." His self depricating joke managed to make the group laugh, "But I didn't come here to mope. We came here to celebrate the two of you."

Connor swore he could see the blushing of the two men in front of him.

"We took you by surprise, didn't we?" A soft smirk grew on Markus' face. He leaned his arm on the table, while his wedding ring gleamed in the low light of the bar.

"I don't know." Connor shrugged, "Ever since I met you Markus, you've been fully dedicated to your soulmate. Turning down everybody, even refusing to getting platonically touched. I wasn't surprised that the both of you got on together fast, but perhaps the following wedding after a few days gave me whiplash."

"Uh huh." Simon hid his flustered face with his two hands, his golden ring gleamed the same way Markus' ring did. "We've been told."

"But I believe that's great. That you wasted no time." Connor added, "Since you're both assigned by birth, it's nothing regrettable. If you lived below The Line, it's a different story."

Markus nodded, "Yeah, we had it easy."

Connor tapped his fingers on the table, "Maybe I'll have an easier dating life too if a certain someone didn't put me in charge of his police force."

"Hey, you said you weren't here to mope." Markus reached to flick Connor away but was held back by Simon, "And you have no choice. You're the best person for the position. If you asked me, you should get a higher position — you can even replace me."

Connor shook his head right away, already at the edge of his seat, "Thanks, but no."

"That's what I thought." Markus' arm fell on Simon's shoulder. 

"If you'd like, we can introduce you to North." Simon hopped in as his fingers intertwined with his soulmate's.

Connor shook his head again, even faster this time, "Jericho's shark of a lawyer? No way." He hissed, "I think I'll just stick to my murder cases."

"Touché." Markus chuckled, "How about the Foreign Ambassador?"

"Foreign Ambassador? You mean Josh?" Connor deadpanned. "Markus, for the last time, I'm not gay." 

And just then, like an ad in a web browser, a man in a pristine suit came up to their table with a pearly white grin, "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I was eavesdropping. Have you tried _The One That's The One_?"

The three of them stared at each other, "No? No. We uh, we don't." Connor answered hesitantly, "What's that?"

"It's a dating service that finds you _The One Thats The One_ because it guarantees you a hundred percent to send you _The One Thats The One_. Your perfect match. Your soulmate." The man might actually be a real life advertisement given his way of talking. "Have you seen the advertisement?"

Before the three of them could even reply, the man already brought up a holographic video.

In the video stood Chloe, the default android used by Deviant companies, in an orange dress in an orange backdrop.

" _Grew up below The Line? Tired of the dating scene? Well you should try, The One That's The One! Here in CyberLife, we use a specific set of questions combined with DNA testing to assure you get your perfect match! The CyberLife Founder Elijah Kamski has developed an algorithm that promises to send you not just anyone, but The One That's The One!_ " The video concluded with, " _Come down to CyberLife to find your The One That's The One!_ "

And with that, Connor found himself in the white halls of CyberLife watching the same advertisement again and again.

"Connor?" Finally, a Chloe called out his name, "Please follow me."

In a few minutes, he found himself on a couch, with a helmet full of wires and machines leading straight into his veins. "I've been on dates before and we never seem to click. It's kind of... confusing. I've always been successful in making accomplices. Or solving issues. It's my job, I work with detectives and the police. The leader of The Deviants himself assigned me on leading the force, getting to the bottom of things and what not—"

"I can tell you're nervous." The Chloe cut him off softly as she settled on a stool beside him, "But don't worry. We can assure you that CyberLife will give you your perfect One. You just have to answer these questions honestly, okay?"

Connor stared idly at her for a moment, "Um," He gulped, "Got it."

"Great! First question," The Chloe waved her hand and a hologram swiveled into her view, "What's your favorite number?"

"800." Connor answered.

"Ah! A classic number. Favorite color?" A question followed from Chloe.

Connor paused before answering again, "Blue."

"Say that you are an android who is tasked to hunt down other androids that are planning an uprising against their masters. You are deemed as the last chance of humanity to keep these androids from having their own state of mind, but the androids are being enslaved by humans. You are to find these androids, extract information, and then kill them in order to get rid of their hopes and dreams. Why?"

Chloe stared at Connor.

Connor stared at Chloe.

He shifted on his seat with his mouth open.

"Uh, I don't...." Connor mumbled, "I don't think... I'll do that. I don't think I'll kill them... I mean, if they wanna be free, why would I..."

Chloe looked down at him, not breaking eye contact. The smile that welcomed him was long gone. Connor looked for the nearest exit.

The silence continued for a few seconds, "I don't think I can follow through a mission like that..." Connor managed to answer.

Chloe tilted her head, "...Interesting." A pause. "Next question!"

The smile grew back on her face.

Connor was unsure whether his money was worth the nerve wrecking stare down he just encountered.

After a couple more questions, Connor found himself being hoisted out of the test room with the reassurance of receiving an address in the following hours. On the way home, he couldn't stop messing with the chip where he'd get the said address. Right there on his fingertips was the answer to his dating woes, and it seemed so surreal to him along with all the technological advancements he was already trying to get used to. He flicked the chip up into the air like a coin, throwing it on one hand into the other, as the elevator brought him to his apartment floor.

He spent his hours laying out his clothes, what body spray to use, and messing with his hair to find his best look. Connor swore he looked like a lovesick highschooler now and not the lead detective of The Deviants, but he figured that he had worked himself too much anyways, and he needed this moment for himself. If today really was the day he'd meet his soulmate, then he can be as himself as he wanted to be.

In the end, he settled with his usual side swept hair and a dual tone suit. After all that, Connor even thought of going out to buy flowers, but he figured the gesture wasn't something he'd normally do, and his One That's The One should feel the same way.

His pondering halted when the chip in his pocket buzzed, and his viewfinder opened the map with a marked location right in front of his very eyes.

On that red blinking marker... was the girl he had waited for his whole life.

Connor wasted no time to run for her.

In the dead of the night, he called the fastest android taxi available and hopped right in, fiddling with the location chip restlessly. The taxi stopped and he rushed for the building's entrance, following the direction of the chip into the elevator and to the floor it told him to go. Until he found himself in front of a dark wooden door in the sea of white metallic apartments.

Connor tightened his necktie, and at exactly 11:21 PM, he rang the door without a drop of hesitation.

The door opened almost instantly.


	2. What's It Like?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connor always wondered what soulmates were. Or at least, what love was.

Connor always wondered what soulmates were. Or at least, what love was.

So one night, at the age of 8, Connor found the courage to ask.

"Mom?" Connor called out for his mother who was about to leave his room, "Can I ask another question?"

An exasperated sigh left Amanda's lips.

"Of course, Connor." She reluctantly went back to sit on Connor's bed, watching over him with tired eyes. "What is it?"

" _What is love_?"

The questioned shook Amanda awake.

"My, what kind of question is that?" She couldn't help but smile, "Do you have a crush on somebody at school?"

"No. I'm just curious." He replied, his eyes full of questions, "Why do people talk about it so much?"

Amanda stared at her son, and found comfort in his innocence and wonder. "It's... Well, for me, it's you." She whispered softly, "Love is the force that pushes you to work hard. To endure. And to exist. So, my love, is you."

Connor tilted his head, gasping, " _I'm_ love?!"

"You're _my_ love." Amanda reached for Connor's cheek to pinch it, "And someday, you'll find yours. The force that pushes you."

"The force to work hard?" Connor repeated his mother's words. Amanda nodded. "And to endure?"

"Yes, Connor." His mother nodded again.

"Oh, then I think I'm in love with sleeping." Little Connor grabbed his blanket and nuzzled it up to his face, "Everyday at school, I just keep thinking of sleep sleep sleep! Just get homework done to sleep right away."

A hearty laugh errupted from Amanda, and it took a while before she could maintain her composure again. Connor only tilted his head at her outburst. "Then sleep you shall get. Go on, get some rest. I expect you to find answers for yourself someday."

And that's how it has always been for Connor. Whatever questions that swamped his head, he answered them by himself. By the age of 16, Connor already understood the Deviant concept of Soulmates. Basically, if you grew up above The Line, you will be assigned a soulmate by birth. A timer will appear on your wrist, counting down to the moment you'll meet The One. They would be the love of your life, not even after death do you part. He didn't know how it was possible, but that technology kicked off society's divide ages ago. Some found the technology convenient, the rest rallied against it, and thus The Line was built.

And for someone who lived below The Line, Connor had accepted his fate of dating to find love, or a soulmate.

It wasn't easy at all.

Connor had his first heartbreak at the age of 18, after the girl he had been dating for years dumped him. It broke him so much that his concept of Love—a stronger version of Amanda's, something that took his whole life to conceptualize—hurled him into a void of absolute nothingness.

Connor had been careful, made sure not to jump at any false sense of love. He thought if he had been stern and picky, the love that would come to him would be his first and last. His soulmate. Connor didn't want to feel the heartbreak Amanda had to endure with his father, yet in the end his commitment was no good because he ended up alone anyways... like Amanda. And he knew, his heartbreak, would be her heartbreak too.

Love reverted to being a foreign concept. And soulmates? Just a far off dream.

Connor was lost. Depressed. A Soul, without a soul. He endured whatever hardship the relationship had to face, worked hard to make the girl stay, yet it wasn't enough. Did the girl ever love him? Or was she just unable to leave him when the honeymoon phase ended?

And despite being in an absolute trainwreck of a life, the Universe gave him and Amanda plenty of blessings.

His mother came home one day with a Deviant man named Jeffrey Fowler. The man was not just any Deviant man, he was in charge of the police force in one of the Deviant cities—and he claimed to be Amanda's soulmate.

Jeffrey was persistent in pursuing Amanda. Constantly flashed the timer on his wrist, picked up and took her back home from work, and even visited almost every weekends. Amanda's heartbreak over being abandoned by Connor's father truly broke her, but later on, she and Jeffrey got married.

Connor thanked Jeffrey constantly for making his mother happy, and Jeffrey would always say, "It's the other way around."

They later on moved above The Line.

The next blessing that came their way was college. Despite being a dead man walking, Connor managed to get into the top university above The Line. There, Markus became his dormmate.

Slowly, Connor got back on his feet again. Doing much better in classes, feeling much better by himself, and getting along much better with the people around him. Markus helped him so much, and he was thankful for him.

Later on, his friend became a huge figure. Well, the both of them were big figures. Connor and Markus were equally intelligent but their areas of expertise varied. And while Connor was a one man team, Markus was an effective leader who naturally attracted his followers. The both of them made an interesting pair, despite the differences in their upbringing.

"I'll meet my soulmate a year after graduation." Markus grew up above The Line, living in privilege his whole life. "I wish you could know who's your's as well."

"It's not my priority." Connor replied as he hunched over his table, drowned in a pile of books. "If you'll excuse me, I have a mission to finish."

"I can see that." Markus looked over at his friend, "I told you, just use my IPad."

Connor huffed, "I'm more of a book person."

"The day will come where I will change that." Markus announced in a booming voice.

And he did. His senior thesis was the first functional hologram. Not a video projected on a glass, an actual hologram. They were like phones without bones that floated in the air.

Markus' work was funded by the government, and soon he became the CEO of Jericho, with the greatest invention that propelled the lifestyle of Deviants. An interface right in your system. Basically, you're your own phone.

While Markus achieved this feat, Connor became his father's partner. They solved crimes in the cities, and helped the Deviant's Main Police Force every now and then. 

Once Markus invented the first actual androids that passed the Turing test, another plot twist happened. Markus became president of the Deviants, and in his power, made Connor in charge of his Police Force.

All of which happened in a year.

Markus' fateful time happened and he met his soulmate. Before Connor could even come back from a case below The Line, his friend and the soulmate already got married. Connor saw the whole thing on television—the drones, the androids, the holograms that furnished the aisle, and despite being the biggest wedding in ages, only a few people had the chance to be invited. Connor could only attend the wedding in a hologram reconstruction of the event. He had a case to solve, and the thought of being in a technology driven wedding made him overwhelmed. Adjusting with new technologies in his work already bewildered him enough.

As for his love life, Connor had a few dates then and there. Nothing lasted after the first date.

"I'll try modifying the pre-existing soulmate technology to find you your soulmate." Markus tried to stop his friend in pursuing CyberLife, "I can do it in a snap. This... Could be a scam for DNA theft."

"I'm head of your force, and you're the President of this society." Connor countered his worries, "I'll look into it and I'll let you know. If it's a scam, we'll do everything to take it down."

After a thorough, personal investigation, Connor found no possible dirt on CyberLife. In fact, he discovered that CyberLife's founder happened to graduate in the same foreign university as the man who invented the soulmate timer. And since Markus created the Chloe androids used by Deviant companies, CyberLife had to register their androids into the database, which Connor had all the reign to get his hands on. He also had access to all legal papers made by CyberLife, and in the end he concluded that the company had been properly registered and built, just starting out.

On his way to finally try it, Connor came back to asking himself... What is love?

Is love fleeting, like the way his father dropped him and Amanda after realizing he needed to commit?

But isn't love an unfaltering, unselfish force? The same force that made Amanda stay with Connor despite all the reasons to abort him?

Or maybe love is momentary? The same way his ex promised him eternal love but dropped him as the honeymoon phase faded?

Could it be the instant clicking of two people, puzzle pieces perfectly meant to unite, like Simon and Markus?

Whatever love was, it stood beyond the door of his _One That's The One_ , which opened in full swing.


	3. Lieutenant

The door opened almost instantly.

In front of him stood a man with uncut, gray hair.

The both of them stood there and stared at each other in bewilderment.

"Hello?" Connor managed to pipe out a (confused) greeting.

"Hello?" The man replied in an even puzzled growl, "Can I help you?"

"My name is Connor." He said, unsure whether he should even continue speaking to the obviously temperamental old man in front of him... who just glared at his introduction. "I'm your _One That's The One_ , sent by CyberLife."

Connor managed to squeeze himself into the room as the man processed the information dropped at him—

"My what?!" He shrieked when it dawned on him, "Hey! Where do you think you're going?!"

"You don't have anybody else in the house?" Connor hoped the man had a daughter, but seeing how incredibly lonesome the place was, he doubted it the moment he even asked.

"It's just me, ya got it?" The old man growled, "And there is no way in hell you're my _soulmate_. So get out."

He practically choked on the "soulmate" word, and Connor could only gape at the empty room in utter disappointment.

The only things that occupied the space were sports posters and a picture of the man in a police uniform, along with other officers.

Connor shuffled on his place, before leaning his back on a wall. He eyed the place again, as if waiting for his actual One to appear and go, it's a prank! But only silence and a gnarly man stood in his presence.

"This is a mistake." Connor admitted defeat.

"No shit! I've always hated this technology bullshit. I can barely change the settings on my own phone." The man hollered, "Then I take another shot at it and look at what I fucking get. I'm not even homosexual!"

"Neither am I." Connor sighed.

And even if the man was a woman, Connor concluded they had nothing in common (except maybe their occupation.)

The most glaring obstacle: the other had a temper with the size of a peanut.

"Fucking hell." The man waved him off towards the door. "Look kid, I don't have all day. Go home because I've got some yelling to do to get my money back."

"Sorry to bother _you_..?" Connor added before going for the door.

"Anderson." Thankfully, the man responded without aggression, "Hank Anderson."

Connor reached out for a handshake. Hank only stared at his hand.

"You know what? How about I treat you out for a quick snack? I actually haven't eaten yet." Connor insisted, even bowed his head to be apologetic. "What do you say? I bothered your silent night after all."

Hank perked up at the offer, after a brief moment, he nodded.

"Huh. Well, I got dressed up for this shit anyway." He murmured, "Would be a waste if I didn't make the best of it."

Connor stood by the hall while Hank closed his apartment.

"You know Chicken Feed?" Connor asked on their way to the elevator.

"Below The Line? Hell yeah." Hank replied, "Used to go there all the time before I moved here."

Connor thought talking to the man wasn't as rough as it initially was, "That so? Then you might be familiar with my mother. She used to work there before we moved here."

The two of them settled inside the elevator, Hank looking at every edge of Connor's face, "Hold on. _Connor_..."

Connor gazed back at Hank's blue eyes.

"No fucking way!" Hank exclaimed, "You're Amanda's son?"

"Correct." Connor bragged.

Hank couldn't take his eyes off of him. "Wow. Last time I heard of you—"

The door opened and Connor leaves the elevator, Hank followed behind him, "Wait. You're—"

"I'm what?" Connor had left the building as he called for a cab in his viewfinder.

" _The_ captain of Deviant Police?" Hank uttered from behind.

Connor could only offer a humble nod. "And you're an officer too, right?"

Hank paused, "Woah woah, how did you know? You did your homework on me or something?"

"I saw your picture back in your apartment." Connor explained, "That's all I know."

"I _was_ a police lieutenant." Hank let out a scoff, "Hey, I get that you're a superior but don't even think about bossin' me around."

"Was not planning to, lieutenant." Connor retorted... but it should be pretty fun to have this guy do what he says.

They hopped into the backseat of the android car, all settled side by side. Hank glanced at Connor, before speaking again.

"Look, just so we're clear," Hank shuffled on his seat to turn to him, "This is your treat."

Connor nodded.

"And after that, I want not a word about how _this_ happened." Hank aggressively gestured his hands between the both of them.

Connor tilted his head in a curtsy, "Whatever you say, Lieutenant."

Hank pulled back at Connor's reply, unsure whether the response was sarcasm or genuine agreement.

"Wow," He grumbled, "CyberLife knew what they were doing when they sent your plastic ass to me."

Connor's eyebrow furrowed at the notion. Silence fell as Hank crossed his arms and didn't bother to give Connor any context.

The silence sent Connor into a smorgasbord of questions. What could he have missed? Had he not done his investigation correctly? How can a company such as CyberLife, with a clean background and so far great reviews, give him the exact opposite of himself? (and a man, for Christ's sake.)

_And what did Hank mean with his last complain?_

"Earth to Connor!" Connor's musings came to a stop when Hank's familiar grunt shook him back to reality, "You gonna stay in that cab forever?"

To Connor's surprise, they've already reached Chicken Feed with Hank ready by the food truck.

"No." Connor's slow reply, trying to get back to reality. "I'm coming."

He shuffled out of the taxi and walked towards Hank who only gave him an eyeroll, "Sorry, just lost in thought." Connor mumbled.

"Well? Do the honors." Hank blatantly ignored Connor's apology. "If you ain't orderin' first, I sure will."

"Go ahead." Connor exclaimed, "This is my treat after all."

Hank wasted no time. "An extra large soda and a double patty hamburger, toast the buns well if you can."

"And yours?" The employee turned to Connor.

After a few seconds of no replies, Hank turned to see why Connor fell silent.

" _Why... are you looking at me like that?_ " Hank looked down at Connor, who looked at him a bit intensely for his taste.

"I'll have the same." Connor rambled to the employee before turning back to Hank, "But... are you really going to eat that?"

"Yeah? It's my usual." Hank's eyebrows fell, with his voice already growling.

"It's twice your recommended daily calorie intake. You shouldn't eat that." Connor tried to inform him as politely as he can.

Hank scoffed, "You're eating the same thing." To Connor's surprise, Hank took no offense of it.

Connor paused like a deer caught in the headlights, "It's my favorite..." He reasoned.

"And it's my favorite too," Hank rebutted, "What's it to you?"

A brief pause, and Connor couldn't stop the thought that maybe they're not so different after all.


	4. The CyberLife Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Lieutenant!" Connor ducked his head to see Hank, "Before you go, can I get your number?"
> 
> Hank gawked at him, speechless for a few seconds before shaking his head at him.
> 
> "No."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise to make the next chapter much longer than the previous releases!!

Connor thought that maybe Hank wasn't exactly an angry man, he just caught him at a moment where his stomach needed a refill. After two or three bites of their greasy hamburger, Hank was decently responsive to Connor's countless inquiries and ramblings.

"You know, like you, I'm just as baffled by technology." Connor mused in between bites, "Even back in college, I preferred to study with books and paper."

Hank took a sip of his soda, "Really?"

Connor nodded, "Markus was always the master in technology. I mean, look at him now."

Hank leaned forward, "What do you mean?"

Connor straightened his back, "We were dorm mates."

Hank placed down his burger to lean closer, "Don't tell me you got your position because of him."

"Correct." Connor admitted, "But I'd like to believe I'm more than that advantage... I solved cases on my own when I was under Jeffrey's district."

A smirk appeared on Hank's face, "On your own? Sounds smug to me."

Connor stiffened, "Not at all." He waved his arms sternly, "I'm being sincere, lieutenant."

Hank paused, the smirk gleaming boldly as ever. He chuckled. And that's it, he just chuckled.

"What?" Connor insisted.

Hank shrugged.

Connor almost blurted out a command to Hank for a clarification, but he held it back. He ate his burger in silence and just relished in the freedom he currently had—no duty calling, no disaster dates, and no pressure involved.

 _Okay_ , Connor thought, _This might be a failed date_. He admitted. What else would he call a promised fated night that turned out to be a huge fraud? He was confident with the investigation he did on CyberLife, yet he was scammed anyway. 

He glanced at Hank who already had his eyes on him. Connor turned away quickly.

"What are you looking at?" Hank sneered.

"Nothing." Connor replied, stared into anything but Hank.

"You're not very good at lying, Connor." The man teased, his voice raw and clear.

Connor hesitated briefly, then sighed in defeat, looking down at his hamburger. "I just thought I did my research on CyberLife well. Before trying it out I had to make sure it would be efficient." He explained, "They had the needed legal documents. And the positive reviews? Done by married couples whom I also did a background check on."

Hanked grinned behind his burger, "Not so great as you thought you were, huh, Captain?" He munched at the snack.

Connor ducked in silence and ate the last of his order.

"Tomorrow, they're gonna get a piece of me." Hank declared after finishing his meal.

Connor nodded in agreement. Silence followed, and he scrambled to fill it in. "It was nice meeting you, Hank."

Hank glanced at Connor before speaking, "Yeah uh, like I said." He gestured between them, "Not a word."

Connor offered him a smile, "Got it."

He thought of offering a handshake, but before he could even lift his hands, Hank quickly turned his back on him and wandered away. Connor could only watch him disappear into the night.

  
_Take it easy on them._

Markus' reply popped up on view, halting Connor in playing with the location chip he got from CyberLife. Before he could reply, the elevator doors open and he found himself back in the white halls of CyberLife, hearing the advertisement echo through the walls. He walked out of it sternly, adjusting the necktie of his uniform.

"Hello?" He ordered in a booming voice, "Chloe?"

In a wave of his hand, his viewfinder dialled CyberLife's hotline for the 6th time.

Just then, a ringing from a distance led Connor to an empty lounge and an empty front desk. "Hello?" He called out again.

Connor glanced at the side to see the door he walked in on the day he got tested. He wasted no time to barge in, after all, he had his dignified uniform on.

"This is Connor, Captain of the Deviant Head Police Force." He proclaimed into the empty laboratory, "I believe there's been a mistake with my transaction."

Connor spotted the couch he was tested on, the machines all over the room, and the holograms that hovered farther into the room. He walked over to the center of the holograms to find an empty chair and a cup of coffee, droplets around it with steam brewing freshly out of it.

A thud erruped from a tube a few feet away, and everything dawned on Connor.

"Shit." He sneered.

Connor ran up towards the tube—an express elevator—and found himself unable to access it. He waved his hands, and his viewfinder launches an application meant for investigating crime scenes.

The application rendered the place in complete detail, from electricity flow down to the skeletal system of his radius. Connor gestured towards the tube as his viewfinder scans it.

_Authorized personnel only. Last registered occupant: Elijah Kamski._

" _You money hungry sons of bitches_!"

A familar voice errupted from outside the laboratory. Connor found himself scurrying towards it.

"Hank." Connor perked up the moment he confirmed it was indeed the grumpy old man.

"Connor," Hank greeted him out of mere surprise, looking at him from top to bottom, "What are you doing here?"

"Same as you." Connor confessed, "But Kamski just left."

Hank blinked at the mention of the name, "Kamski? Elijah Kamski himself was here?"

"Yes." Connor jogged towards the elevator, "If we hurried we can still catch him."

Hank ran after him, "I think he ran away because you showed up like that."

"Like what?" Connor tilted his head.

"Like you're gonna swat the entire building." Hank exclaimed, "Got your glowing badge brighter than the sun."

Connor looked down at his uniform, "I had time to drop by before reporting."

"And you're still gonna pursue Kamski?" Hank clarified.

Connor nodded, stepping into the elevator. Hank followed reluctantly.

"His evation is against the law." Connor briefed the lieutenant, "We can't stop until we get your money back. They can choose to pay it or I can make this into a bigger case."

Hank glanced at Connor without making any noise.

Just then, a message popped into Connor's viewfinder.

_Captain, Gavin is in the office._

Connor inhaled sharply.

"What?" Connor heard Hank lean closer.

"It's..." Connor turned to Hank and found him completely up close, "The office."

Hank looked down at him, "What happened?"

"Someone is..." Connor dropped his head, "The former captain is in my office."

Hank's somewhat concerned expression grew into a big scowl, "Oh great." He growled, "It's the fuckin' plastic freak."

"You know Gavin?" Connor found comfort in Hank's aggression.

"Hell fucking yeah I do!" Hank crossed his arms on his chest, "That asshole is the reason why I left my job. It's either he ruins my name, or I beat him to taking my dignity. He acts all _shiny and clean_ , but he's a huge prick."

Connor bowed his head in silent agreement. Then perked up, "Is he... the reason why you called me plastic, last night?"

The scowl on Hank's face instantly froze, "Yeah."

"I understand why you'd say it," Connor stared directly into Hank's eyes, "But I'm not like him."

Hank returned Connor's firm stare, "Whatever you say, Captain." He smirked. "You should deal with that piece of shit. I'll handle Kamski."

Connor broke eye contact. "No, you shouldn't. You—"

"You're gonna tell me what to do now?"

Before Connor could reply, the elevator opened to the empty ground floor. Hank rushed out of it and went for his car. However Connor dashed to the door faster than him.

"I'll deal with Gavin, and I'll take care of Kamski later." Connor insisted. "I already made Kamski a mission, and I won't fail again."

Hank took a step back, just studying Connor as he blocked his car. "Well," He mused, "Are you at least gonna let me go in my car?"

Connor snapped back to reality, stepping back to let Hank through. Hank went for the driver seat and started his engine.

"Lieutenant!" Connor ducked his head to see Hank, "Before you go, can I get your number?"

Hank gawked at him, speechless for a few seconds before shaking his head at him.

"No." He released the brakes, "Send Gavin my fucking greetings!" Hank exclaimed as he drove away.

And just like last night, Connor watched Hank disappear into the distance.


	5. Terms and Agreement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The thing with existing was that there will always be terms and agreement, whether outright or unspoken.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!! Sorry it took so long. Quarantine had been very hard on my mental health.
> 
> Also, I apologize for any awkwardness or grammatical errors. English isn't my first language.
> 
> I hope you are all doing well. Stay safe.

The thing with existing was that there will always be terms and agreement, whether outright or unspoken. An example of the latter was how Connor will always have to put up with Gavin Reed.

Don't get him wrong, Connor respected Gavin Reed. He recognized that the man once held the position he had recently taken over, and how Gavin did his job wonderfully though with an iron fist. Connor would be harder than steel too when it came to his work but he always believed that balance would accomplish his missions, so Gavin's rough leading was a topic to be pondered on. However, the more he saw from this guy, the more he pondered everything about him. He guessed that he could separate the man from his work but boy, he was absolutely wrong. The amount of passive aggressiveness seething from Gavin was unbearable for Connor, and that's saying something since he had the best patience from both above and below The Line.

Added to that was the paramount of pressure and expectations being put on him by the entire force. They expressed relief when the steel leader had been replaced, but Connor could hear the remarks being made behind his back. He could handle it for sure, but Gavin's surfacing every now and then felt like a massive territory patrol that he does not enjoy at all. And like unspoken terms and agreement, Connor _had_ to deal with him for as long as he existed there.

"Ah, there he is." Gavin's voice stood out in the sea of gathering police officers when Connor stepped into the office.

"Good morning, Captain Gavin." Connor offered a nod.

"Thought you'd be here early!" Gavin exclaimed, way too enlightened at that.

Connor shrugged, deflected Gavin's blatant sarcasm with a natural stare, "I had matters to attend to."

The entire floor hang on his every word, the same way they turned to Gavin to await whatever snarky rebuttal he might have against their current Captain. But if Gavin had something to say, he hid it by gulping his coffee.

"What brought you here, Captain?" Connor cut the tension as he headed for his office, he stalled by the door and pursued Reed once more, "Anything I can help you with?"

Gavin let out a loud sigh after drinking. He licked his lips, eyes darted off somewhere as he hummed. "Nothing. Nothing at all." His words rolled off tauntingly.

Connor nodded, watching the crowd and Gavin, before he ducked fully into his office. His back slumped on the chair, hands instinctively tightening his tie. He took a huge breath in, before blowing it out into the air. He waved his hand to launch his investigation application, until a knock from his door echoed in.

"Come in."

The door opened to reveal Chris Miller, a police officer Connor's taken a liken to. He ducked his head in a greeting as he shut the door behind him.

"Captain, good to see you're here." Miller rushed towards the captain, his voice hushed. "I'm glad you responded quickly to my message."

Connor swiped his interface away, leaned his arms on the table, and came face to face with Chris. "He's here again." His voice fell the moment he looked out of the office to watch Gavin.

Miller did the same, "And he's leaving early. Thank God." He sighed, "I thought he'd stay longer after hearing you had matters you attended to. He'd usually want to barge his nose into it!"

"I thought so too." Connor continued to watch Gavin, who soon looked back at him. The former captain smirked, waved him goodbye, and went for the exit. Connor turned back to Miller, "I can't keep on showing up here just to usher him away in a battle of silent aggression. I don't even feel any disdain towards him, even with his... remarks."

"I'll tell you what I've told you from day one, Captain." The policeman grinned at him, "Even if he shows up, you're our captain now and we're with you. Soon he'll realize that."

Connor knew the notion was true, but underneath it were hushed comments of how he was too much of a one man army, acting like he didn't need the force to solve any cases.

Miller shuffled on his place and Connor snapped back to reality, "Have you heard of CyberLife?" He quickly changed the topic.

Like a telemarketer, Miller's entire rigor shifted to delight, "Absolutely! They're the biggest breath of fresh air to my life and to many others! They gave me my soulmate. The One That's The One! Why'd you ask? Are you planning to try it out?"

"Well, that's the matter I attended to." Connor mumbled after seconds of taking in whatever advertisement Miller just spewed, "They have caught my suspicions and I need you to keep this between just you and I." Connor continued in a hushed voice, "I need you to give me Elijah Kamski's personal address."

When Chris left, Connor dove straight into work. Objectively, he could pursue Elijah on his own - ask Markus where to find the man since they were men of the same status, or do the research work himself. But Connor, an inch everyday, tries hard to avoid doing all the work. Then he remembered Hank.

Connor launched his application once again, opened a tab for daily cases and reports, and another tab for the archives. His interface could only be seen by him, but Connor nervously gave several glances out of the office as he typed in Hank Anderson into the search bar.

Like magic, all possible information regarding the man flashed in front of his eyes. The wonders of technology.

Connor swiped on Hank's profile, containing his resume and various feats. He scanned through it, not missing a detail, and picked out his number in the files. Connor dialled it without hesitation.

"Who is this?" The other side picked up and Connor was greeted with Hank's familiar snarl.

"Hank, it's me, Connor." He replied, "While I failed to deliver him your greetings, Gavin left right after I came in. I suppose that could be considered as... good news?"

The line buzzed static.

"Hank?" Connor called out after a second of waiting, "While I failed t—"

"I heard you the first time, Connor!" Hank's growl grew frantically behind the static, "What I wanna know is how you got my fucking number!"

Unfazed, Connor answered softly, "I have my ways. Don't worry, I'm only calling to make sure you didn't continue your vendetta against Kamski."

"I didn't." An exasperated sigh echoed through the line, "Just do what you gotta do and forget my number, will ya?"

Connor could feel Hank's finger about to drop the call, "Do you wish to come with me this afternoon?" He basically yelled in an attempt to get the words out fast. "To Kamski, I mean."

The static line went silent. For a second he thought Hank had dropped the call, until his voice echoed, "First you tell me to stay out of it, then you tell me to come with you." Connor opened his mouth to reply but Hank continued, "I even refused to give you my number but here you are."

Connor's eyebrows furrowed. Then he shifted on his seat. It dawned on him how flighty he might have looked, and absolutely unprofessional as well.

"I didn't mean to be unpleasant. At the beginning, I didn't wish to bother you further so I planned to handle it myself, which is why I asked you to leave it to me." He continued, "But then I figured, if you wished to come, I shouldn't impose an authority over you. That is all there is to it, and I'm sorry if I—"

Hank hissed, "Yeah, yeah I get it! Whatever." Another sigh, "I'll just- I'll come by and pick you up at your office. I don't want you plastic prick showing up at my house again."

The call ends. Connor could feel a smile creeping on his lips. His moment of amusement didn't last long when the term plastic prick echoed in his ears and Gavin's shit eating grin pulled him back to reality. Connor exhaled sharply through his nose, and pushed back all other thoughts to drown himself in paperwork and duties.

After hours of reading reports, meeting with his officers, and delegating tasks, Connor caught a glimpse of a familiar figure by the precint doors.

Hank stood outside, all cuddled up in a brown trench coat and a funky striped shirt. Connor got up from his seat and left behind the bundled holograms that flooded his office.

"I've been here for almost half an hour." To Connor's surprise, Hank merely grumbled and didn't holler.

"I apologize, I forgot to turn on my receiver while I was working. There's so much—"

"Then why'd you even wanna deal with Kamski in the first place?" Hank cut him off as he began to stride past him. Connor followed, "Kid, I get it, you're a big thing. But you can't handle everything on your god damn own."

They stepped into the elevator, idle music filled the empty space. The static weighted on Connor's ears.

"It takes a while to stop taking responsibility for everything." Connor managed to croak a reply, "Again, I apologize if I have displeased you throughout this whole dilemma."

The ride to Kamski's mansion felt brief. Connor could remember silence being shut out by Hank's thirst for retribution. He found it rather comforting to have somebody else do the releasing of anger for him.

The address sent by Miller brought them to an abstract, metal lair at the end of civilization. Void of any sort of security, the two of them found no obstacle to just come up to the door and knock. The metal door hissed before opening smoothly, a Chloe dressed in blue held the door with a greeting smile.

"My name is Connor, from the Deviant Head Police Force." Connor taunted, "I'm here to discuss with Kamski the matters regarding our CyberLife transaction."

The Chloe dipped her head and stepped aside, extending her arm towards the lobby, "You're expected! Please do get comfortable while I let Elijah know you're here."

Hank took two glances between Connor and Chloe before stepping inside, Connor tailed behind him. Chloe walked off to a door, while Hank and Connor gawked at the warm space of the lobby.

"Did you know that Kamski attended the same ivy league as the inventor of the Soulmate timer?" Connor informed Hank, although it was merely him talking to himself. "I trusted him for that feat. Ironically, Markus thought he's out for DNA theft. Which at the beginning sounded outlandish, but now it might actually... happen."

Hank stalled on sitting on the white sofa in the lobby, "Markus himself had doubts?" He launched himself away from the sofa, in fact, he found himself unable to trust anything in the room they stood in, "Jesus, you shouldn't have gone then! I wouldn't have been paired up with you if you only listened to Markus."

"But the soulmate timer worked. His resume proved he could be next to its inventor." Connor reasoned, walking in circles around the room, "If we get our refund, I must still launch an investigation over his company. DNA Theft is a nuclear bomb."

Among the pristine gold walls and mural paintings, sat a lone flickering crystal. Connor bent down to look at it closer, his fingers already out to touch it.

"Hey, hey!" Hank yelled, "Don't get your fingerprints all over... whatever the heck that is. You just told me abot DNA theft!"

Connor pulled back and heaved a slight chuckle, "Sorry, lieutenant."

"This way please." To their surprise, the Chloe had gone back to the lobby. They stepped into the room she came from, only to be greeted by crew of Chloes swimming in an indoor pool.

A pale, well-built man emerged from a corner, hair up in a bun and body draped with a robe.

"This is it, Chloe." Kamski headed for a table near the pool, picked up a bottle of scotch and poured himself a drink, "This is how I go down. My legacy ends with two police officers arresting me in my own castle."

A scowl already had itself set on Hank's face and Connor lunged into the conversation before the lieutenant could even start running his mouth, "We're not here to arrest you, Kamski. We just want a refund for the absolute mistake of your matchmaking service."

Kamski turned on his heel and waved his glass towards his visitors, "Can you explain to me why that is?"

"You know what we're talking about, Kamski. Don't play coy." Hank cut in before Connor could stop him again.

"I can't help you with anything if you don't give me a lead. I'm a pioneer, not a detective." The man had the nerve to smirk.

"You matched the both of us." Connor had to physically restrain Hank just to say his piece, "You can clearly see the glaring reasons for this mismatch."

Kamski's eyebrow furrowed, his eyes darting between the two of them. He shook his head, "That is what you see. But what I see, is that, you can't simply dictate a relationship by what your eyes could see. You do know you can't judge a book by it's cover, right?"

Connor nodded, "Yes. But also, we're not homosexual."

"I find it hard to believe—" Kamski replied, Connor and Hank sneered but he cuts them off right away, "—that two wise figures of society are here right now with absolute confidence that they can get their refund."

"Do you know what you're saying?" Connor grumbled to intimidate, "You evaded us this morning, and now you refuse to give us what we are asking for?"

"I may have panicked. Guilty. But I am only human. The same way you are." Kamski dropped his head, shaking it in such a grandiose manner. He glanced back up at them, a coy smile across his lips. "Have you read the terms and agreement?"

A hard and hot realization. It hit them in their core, and burned itself in their ego.

"Who does that?!" Hank gasped, "Just give us our refund and we'll be outta here!"

Hank was fuming. Connor, on the otherhand, felt so cold he wanted to throw up.

"You two, of all people, should know how important it is to read whatever paperwork you sign." Kamski just had to rub the salt on their wounds, "We don't do refunds until the 30 day period ends."

Hank scrambled for any curse to throw at Kamski, but the boring eyes of several Chloes and their hushed snickers left him speechless in utter embarrassment. "I— You're—" He stammered, "This is bullshit. Connor, we're going."

Hank bailed out of the room, Connor stood frozen on his place. He was a detective, meticulous and prepared—and he wasn't just any detective! Chosen by Markus himself, he was the Captain of the DPF. He was Connor, the well-known One Man Army. The one who pride himself for the way he snuck his head into the rabbithole that was CyberLife—all that and he didn't even read their contract.

Connor wanted to disintegrate right then and there.

"Don't beat yourself up over it, Captain." His embarrassment and disappointment was so obvious, Kamski sympathized with him. It was genuine, but it didn't last long. "The both of you didn't read it, seems to me you're perfect."

Connor walked out with his whole body blaring red.

"I thought you were good at your job, why didn't you read the contract?" Hank just had to throw him a question that was already eating his entire brain.

"You didn't read it either!" Connor finally croaked something after minutes of being shell shocked. His voice came out in a shudder. "I'm sorry, okay? I just..."

Hank's blue eyes burrowed beyond Connor's eyes. The gaze remained intense, and Connor felt like Hank could see every thought drilling into his head. After what felt like ages, Hank blinked, and he _grinned_.

"Well, maybe you're not a plastic prick after all."

Hank strode past him, and for a sweet second, Connor's crowded mind eased.


End file.
